Head to the country schools if you can find one within resonable driving time. Better still if they have overnight bunks. On memory Tocumwal, Ballarat, were two that did. Advantage is that less time lost taxing around,less students to compete with for an instructor, no ATC restricting op's because some RPT is due in etc. Weather is often better too or at least the instructor will decide when it ok to go and fly not some ATC non pilot who must go by the book.
Also you can save money by doing the GFPT part in one hit say over 2 or 3 weeks as less revision each lesson, and some smaller schools may discount the hourly rate as it is revenue guaranteed straight in to their account over a short period of time. Don't pay in advance however as you then lose control if things don't work out which sometimes happens.